Re: 10-Base-T and Pathworks

[Mark Duffield]

Mark Strandskov says:
> 
> 
> I got a chance to talk to some people at the Merit Tech. Staff meeting
> but I was wondering who else has experience with 10-Base-T and would be
> willing to answer a few questions (e.g. type of hubs used, problems
> encountered, etc.).
> 
> Also, on another note.  We are looking at DEC's Pathworks and from what
> we have seen, DEC really pushes VMS as the OS of choice when using
> Pathworks.  We have also read in some articles that DEC is looking
> toward phasing out VMS.  Does anyone feel that VMS will still be a
> strategic product for DEC in the future?  We would hate to purchase
> VMS today and have DEC in six months tell us that it is getting
> rid of VMS and we will have to switch to ULTRIX or something else
> instead of going with ULTRIX from the start.  Also, like the above
> question, who out there in MichNet-Land is using Pathworks and
> would like to give a few comments about it.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Mark...
> 
> =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
> Mark Strandskov               Internet: 34HLEFG@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU
> Central Michigan University                   Bitnet: 34HLEFG@CMUVM
> Computer Services                           AT&Tnet: (517) 774-6881
> Mt. Pleasant, MI  48859 - located in the middle of your right hand.
> 

I can't address the 10baseT question, but I can speak about Pathworks.  I
manage a VAXserver 4000 running VMS, 3 SPARCstations, and an Iris Indigo.
The VAX serves approx 60 Macs and 10 PC type machines. Pathworks works fine
under VMS and I am quite happy with it.  I queried my DEC rep recently about
Pathworks under ULTRIX (particularly the Mac software).  He told me that
ULTRIX is about 6 months to a year behind the VMS platform as far as
functionality.  In fact, Pathworks for the Mac under ULTRIX is actually a
product made by Pacer.  There was no word when DEC was going to have their
own product.

I like VMS alot (its what I learned first), but my life would be a whole lot
easier if all of my midrange systems (servers and workstations) were some
sort of UNIX.  My times savings in account management alone justifies any
additional cost.  My guess is that DEC will keep VMS around for a while as
an operating system for medium to large sized servers and focus on ULTRIX and
OSF/1 for the desktop.  I hear that ULTRIX is going to be around for a while
for the MIPS architecture but will not be ported to ALPHA. 

-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 Mark J. Duffield          | 
 Parke Davis Biotechnology |   Beer is a beverage, not a projectile.
 (duffiem@wl.com)          | 
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -